NACC to showcase performing arts around North
New season billed as exploring social engagement on stage
Accompanying the NACC team on its NWT tour will be Montreal classical string band Collectif9. - photo courtesy of Danylo Bobyk danylophoto.com |
Robin Grant
Northern News Services
Monday, August 28, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The Northern Arts and Cultural Centre (NACC) is scheduled to bring the performing arts to several NWT communities for another season.
The 2017-18 NACC season has been named Eclipse. It will also wrap up the Canada 150 theme by exploring reconciliation in a number of performances, said Coderre.
On Sept. 18, Fort Smith audiences will be treated to a nationally acclaimed one-woman drama performed by Tiffany Ayalik. The play, Cafe Daughter, is inspired by a true story of a Chinese-Cree girl growing up in Saskatchewan in the 1950s and '60s.
"(Ayalik) is a top-notch artist and acts as an advocate and ambassador for Indigenous people," said Coderre. "We don't have a lot of professional actors from the Northwest Territories. She is nationally acclaimed."
Cafe Daughter is also coming to Norman Wells, Inuvik, Fort Simpson, Hay River and Yellowknife.
As well, the annual Ko K'e Music and Spoken Word Festival will address 150 years of colonialism in Canada with Indigenous, English and French perspectives.
Featuring songwriter, poet and filmmaker Caroline Cox and storyteller and folk, country-blues singer Leanne Goose, the Ko K'e takes place on Oct. 10 in Hay River with a final performance in Inuvik Oct. 18.
In Yellowknife, the 2017-18 season is kicking off with a Canadian music icon. It starts next month with Inuk singer-songwriter Susan Aglukark.
Aglukark is known for being an Indigenous activist throughout her career, focusing particularly on Northern people and communities.
She represents this year's theme exploring social engagement through the arts.
The three-time Juno-award winning artist blends Inuktitut and English with contemporary pop music to tell Inuit stories.
Coderre described Aglukark as a key figure who spoke up about Indigenous cultural rights using art as her medium in the 1990s.
"If Indigenous artists today can speak up," said Coderre, "It is thanks to artists like her."
Aglukark hits the Yellowknife stage on Sept. 9.
Tickets for this season's shows went on sale Aug. 18.
